The Penallt Organ

The Organist of the Church, David R Murray, has set out his vision for the instrument in the following (which he has kindly agreed for us to include on the Phoenix website).

Concept

Pitch

Pedal

Great

 

Swell

 

 

Mixture  IV

Plein jeu IV-V

Cornet IV-V

Fourniture IV

Scharf  III

C

12.15.19.22

15.19.22.26.--

  1. 8.12.15.--

19.22.26.29

29.33.36

c

 

12.15.15.19.22

 

15.19.22.26

26.29.33

g

 

 

  1. 8.12.15.17

 

 

c1

 

  8.12.15.15.19

 

12.15.19.22

22.26.29

c#1

  8.12 .15 19

 

 

 

 

c2

 

  8.  8.12.12.15

 

  8.12.15.19

19.22.26

f#2

 

 

 

 

15.19.22

c3

 

  5.  8.  8.12.15

 

  8.12 15.15

12.15.19

c4

 

 

 

 

 

Sample / Voicing notes

PEDAL

  1. Soubasse 32 classical French bass ? adds depth to Principal 16 but doesn't overpower Bourdon 16; and, if poss, still audible under the Bombarde 16.
  2. Violone 16 one of the two English voices on the organ ! Wide-scaled semi-principal/mild string tang. Non-imitative : adds weight to the fundamental of the principal chorus.
  3. Choral bass 4 Assertive open metal principal.
  4. Gedacktpommer 4 Wide-scale stopped metal flute.
  5. Mixture IV A full mixture : 12.15.19.22 at bass C with one break in the compass at c#1 to 8.12.15.19.
  6. Bombarde 16 Big French reed; the dominant voice in the pedal department.
  7. Fagott 16 Assertive inverted conical reed?..German in style ?softer/more harmonic content than a Posaune but capable of colouring the principal chorus - certainly equivalent in power [if not a little more] than Gt Cromorne.
  8. Dulzian 8 or Regal 8 Medium power German solo reed for chorale preludes which also blends into chorus like a small-scaled trumpet. Somewhere between Swell hautbois and Trumpet in power. May need a bright reedy tang to carry in the ensemble whereupon a full-throated Regal might be more appropriate.

GREAT

  1. Prinzipal 8 Oktav 4 Superoktav 2 Basic chorus stops: Germanic in sound, full but not fat, with precise attack.
  2. Flûte 16 A full French flute that contrasts with the Quintäton 16 on the Sw and is able to balance the 8 Prinzipal. Not too thick in the bottom two octaves ? ie more transparent here than a Bourdon.
  3. Diapason 8 A full English Open Diapason which will add solidity to the 8 register to balance full upperwork . Should also be able to blend with the Chamade Trumpet so as to add a certain fatness and give more of an English Romantic solo reed sound to this stop combination.
  4. Weitgedackt 8 or Portunalflöte 8 cf Sw Spitzflöte 8 a stop for effects lying between principal- and flute-based choruses; a fairly assertive wide-scaled wood flute with good attack that contrasts sound character-wise with the metal Spitzflöte as the basis of a flute chorus. [Both Gt Flute/Gedackt and Sw Spitzflöte are chiffy.]
  5. Tolkaan/Dolcan 8 or Dulciana 8based on a metal flue stop with inverted conical pipes. The gentle, accompanimental Dutch baroque type [Tolkaan ] is preferred but German Dolcan also OK. Tone should be halfway between a wood flute and a string stop which speaks with a plaintive sweetness. Closest modern equivalent is probably a Cone Gamba, but I don't want anything Victorian. A better solution would then be a Dulciana, but the brighter earlier Snetzler type rather than the duller 19th century version.
  6. Unda maris 8 Classical baroque wavering stop. Able to form a “string” accompaniment to a solo stop on swell when coupled with Tolkaan/Dolcan/Dulciana, but strong enough to introduce a light tremulant when drawn with the Cromorne.
  7. Großquint 5 1/3 Quint 2 2/3 Wide-scale German mutations please, which however don't overpower the 16 or 8 flutes ie. should be able to form solo combinations with the flutes as well as adding fullness to principal chorus.
  8. Plein jeu IV-V ranks French-scaled full mixture breaking back every octave. Four ranks in the bass with a fifth rank added at tenor c thus:
    C 15 19 22 26 --
    c 12 15 15 19 22
    c1 8 12 15 15 19
    c2 8 8 12 12 15
    c3 5 8 8 12 15
  9. Cornet IV-V ranks Composite solo stop capable of good chorus blend with flues and reeds and low chorus mixture??..therefore only four ranks from bottom C with the tierce added from tenor g upwards, thus:
    C 1 8 12 15 --
    c 1 8 12 15 --
    g 1 8 12 15 17 to the top.
  10. Cromorne 8 Colourful French solo reed that can also blend as a lighter-toned chorus trumpet [Therefore stronger than Swell Hautbois].
  11. Chamade Trumpet 8 Spanish type ; brilliant, full and assertive but not a fat, honking trumpet that cancels out the rest of the department : neither should it be acid in tone.

SWELL

  1. Montre 8 Prestant 4 French fluty-toned principals please.
  2. Gambe 8 Rich French type.
  3. Spitzflöte 8 Metal flute with pronounced chiff that forms good contrast to smoother toned Flûte harmonique. Able to form the foundation of a complete Positiv chorus.
  4. Nason flute 4 or Flûte octaviante 4 to best blend with both 8 flutes. Nason flute might be best?
  5. Nazard 2 2/3 Tierce 1 3/5 Larigot 1 1/3  Samples based on French wide-scaled, fluty-toned, mutations please.
  6. Fourniture IV ranks  Classical French mixture, 19.22.26.29 in the bass, breaking back every octave thus:
    C 19 22 26 29
    c 15 19 22 26
    c1 12 15 19 22
    c2 8 12 15 19
    c3 8 12 15 15
  7. Scharf III ranks Brilliant high mixture which adds sparkle rather than shrillness to whole ensemble. Breaks back every octave plus one extra break in the fourth octave thus:
    C 29 33 36
    c 26 29 33
    c1 22 26 29
    c2 19 22 26
    f#2 15 19 22
    c3 12 15 19
  8. Basson 16 Trompette harmonique 8 Clarion 4  French Cavaillé-Coll type reeds please; assertive, open speech rich in harmonics, capable of good chorus blend with flues [i.e. definitely not fat, closed English reeds with weighted tongues and closed shallots]

Console layout

Left Jamb   Right Jamb
Great Pedal Swell
    Sbsse  Princ  Vlne  Bdn  Oct  BFl  Chb  Gdtp  Mix  Bom  Fg  Reg  Trpt  Schal  Sw/Pd  Gt/Pd  Gt /PCn     Phoenix  Panel    
Sw to Gt
-------------
Cham trpt 8
Plein jeu IV-V
Superokt 2
Oktav 4
Weitgedackt 8
Diapason 8
Prinzipal 8
Flûte 16
Oct graves
------------
Cromorne 8
Cornet IV-V
Quint 2 2/3
Chimney fl 4
Großquint 5 1/3
Unda maris 8
Erzahler 8
--------------
 

Upper Manual (Swell)

Lower Manual (Great)

----------
Hautbois 8
Scharf III
Larigot  11/3
Tierce 13/5
Nazard  22/3
Koppelflote  4
Spitz fl  8
Voix cel II
Gambe 8
 
tremulant
Clairon 4
Trpt ha 8
Basson 16
Fourniture IV
Blockfl 2
Prestant 4
Flûte ha 8
Montre 8
Quintatön 16
 

 

© David R Murray & Phoenix Organs 2004
Last updated 1 December 2004